Leaf Mold

[DirtMechanic]

I give you leaves from last fall, in the compost format, about to be reset into the yard from whence it came, with a few additives. The white pipes are drilled thin wall pvc for oxygen at the base of the pile.

 

[Chuck]

I give you leaves from last fall, in the compost format, about to be reset into the yard from whence it came, with a few additives. The white pipes are drilled thin wall pvc for oxygen at the base of the pile.View attachment 56086

I have literally acres of leaf mold. I go out and shovel it up and mix it 50/50 with my garden soil and plant my seedlings in this mixture. It is almost as good as my homemade compost. The only difference is that my compost has a lot of other stuff in it besides decayed leaves and I can't make enough compost for my requirements. I also dump some into my compost tea. The stuff is great for anything, even starting seeds.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I have literally acres of leaf mold. I go out and shovel it up and mix it 50/50 with my garden soil and plant my seedlings in this mixture. It is almost as good as my homemade compost. The only difference is that my compost has a lot of other stuff in it besides decayed leaves and I can't make enough compost for my requirements. I also dump some into my compost tea. The stuff is great for anything, even starting seeds.

My pile is just what I mulch and sweep up out of the yard. Its about 20 of those carts in the picture, mulched up. It sure shrinks over the winter. I noticed what you mean about almost as good. It is not as fertile as a serious compost. But then I am just using it for organic matter on the top horizon of the yard. I will aerate it into the bare spots after I get done watering it in.

 

[Chuck]

My pile is just what I mulch and sweep up out of the yard. Its about 20 of those carts in the picture, mulched up. It sure shrinks over the winter. I noticed what you mean about almost as good. It is not as fertile as a serious compost. But then I am just using it for organic matter on the top horizon of the yard. I will aerate it into the bare spots after I get done watering it in.

My leaf mold is about 90% decomposed live oak leaves and the other 10% Juniper, wild persimmon and a little other unknown stuff. I don't think there is much NPK in it but there is something in it that really works. If I weren't so old and decrepit I'd bag it up and sell it as Plant Elixer.

 

[zigs]

Looks good DM

Had a feel of one of our 7 dumpy bags yesterday, it's starting to turn

 

[headfullofbees]

I would like to add that, because worms love them for their cellulose, leaves increase their populations, increasing the prevalence of their beneficial gut bacteria.

 

[DirtMechanic]

It was a wormfest alright. When I see those fatties wiggling that hard it really makes me want to just stop what I am doing, get my wide brimmed straw hat and cane pole and go sit by the creek and do some old time fishing.

I watered in the spread compost, but let me ask about filtration. We have a separate ag meter here at the house. The idea of using chemically controlled water- any sense to a charcoal filter? It was on my mind as I was putting out the compost thinking to myself why poison it with chlorination and flouride?

 

[Chuck]

It was a wormfest alright. When I see those fatties wiggling that hard it really makes me want to just stop what I am doing, get my wide brimmed straw hat and cane pole and go sit by the creek and do some old time fishing.

I watered in the spread compost, but let me ask about filtration. We have a separate ag meter here at the house. The idea of using chemically controlled water- any sense to a charcoal filter? It was on my mind as I was putting out the compost thinking to myself why poison it with chlorination and flouride?

It is known that both are antimicrobial but whether harmful in the garden is still being debated. Many cities are now using Chloramine, a mixture of ammonia and chlorine. It doesn't gas off as chlorine does and it lasts longer. I'm glad I am on a well.

 

[headfullofbees]

AFAIK, it has been shown that the levels of Chlorine in tap-water are, by the time we get it, too low to harm the soil microbiology.

 

[Chuck]

AFAIK, it has been shown that the levels of Chlorine in tap-water are, by the time we get it, too low to harm the soil microbiology.

When I was on city water I never saw any difference. Personally, I just don't like ingesting chemicals.

 

[DirtMechanic]

When I learned how much city water has to be pH adjusted nuetral to prevent corrosion of metal pipes I also grew to believe that as heavy and dense as water is, the quantity of treatment chemistry has to be significant. Unless the aquifer is neutral to start of course. Here a higher pH water is welcome because the base soil is 5pH.

 

[headfullofbees]

When I learned how much city water has to be pH adjusted nuetral to prevent corrosion of metal pipes I also grew to believe that as heavy and dense as water is, the quantity of treatment chemistry has to be significant. Unless the aquifer is neutral to start of course. Here a higher pH water is welcome because the base soil is 5pH.

Rainwater and not tapwater is recommended here for blueberries, which are ericaceous.

 

[headfullofbees]

When I was on city water I never saw any difference. Personally, I just don't like ingesting chemicals.

Can plants take up Chloramine, and if they can, do they manage to take it up prior to its breakdown in the soil?

 

[Chuck]

Can plants take up Chloramine, and if they can, do they manage to take it up prior to its breakdown in the soil?

I don't know and I haven't been able to find out. All I know is that many major cities are using it because it is cheaper.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Rainwater and not tapwater is recommended here for blueberries, which are ericaceous.

We had been using acidifying formula, and I measured a 4ph under our blueberries. How low is too low?